Page 7 of War and his Queen

“Hey…” I slap the guy’s face, around his high cheekbones and larger set lips. There’s a bump in his nose from being hit one too many times, and a dusting of a beard over his jaw.

His eyes peel open, resting on me. “Damn…”

I raise a brow. “Okay, playa. Where’d you come from?”

He coughs, keeping his hand on his tanned stomach as he tries to lift himself off the road.

“Hey! Stay there.” I force him back down with a shove.

He clears his throat. “I—I must be lost.”

I bring his face back to mine by his chin. “I’m Halen. Halen Hayes.”

His face pales. “I’m lost.” Clearly. What the fuck is going on?

I peer up at Evie, who cocks her head to the side, looking between me and the guy. There have been two times in my life where Evie has found herself in a position to ask questions. She always chooses not to. I’ll wait for the day when she finally does, and then I’ll allow her to decide what she wants to do. I can handle that later. Right now, I need to find my fucking brother.

“I’m going to need you to get up. Are you hurt anywhere else besides your ribs?”

“No. I don’t think so.”

I place my hand under his head. “Ev? Help?”

“Ah…” She shuffles on her shoes, looking back to the car. “This a good idea? Halen, we don’t know him, and I get that you’re this big dog and your families are all untouchable, forwhatever reason, but they’re not here right now and he could be a killer!”

The guy chokes on his laugh. “That’s fucking rich.”

“Okay, buddy. Shut the fuck up and get up.” I jerk him forcefully, and he finally lets me move him off the road, shuffling onto his feet. I wrap his arm over my shoulder and direct him to the passenger side of the car. “Ev, get in the back with the girls.”

“Halen…”

“Evie!” I widen my eyes at her, opening the passenger door with the hand I’m not holding the bleeding stranger with.

“Fine.” She moves past us both, jumping into the back seat. I lean down and move the passenger chair back farther, dumping the boy down and leaving his mask on his lap. I shut his door and round the front of the car, pausing when I reach my side. Laughter and more howls tear through the forest, and for a moment, I think I see shadows move behind the trees.

I roll my eyes, sliding into the driver’s seat and turning the key over. “Sadists.”

“What’s going on?” Evie leans forward, and with her literally breathing down my neck, I know there’s no way out.

“This was our brothers.”

“Yeah, I know they do that weird—whatever—thing it’s called every Friday night.”

That’s about as far as her knowledge will go, the same as everyone else who attends. The poor idiot bleeding out in my passenger seat included.

“But isn’t it just, like, a hunting game or something?”

“Or something…” River snickers.

The more time passes, the more we are all on edge about the ritual. I know the boys are more involved in the world than we are right now, but that wasn’t by choice. I tried to fight for more position, but it didn’t work. Mom broke the way for girls, or aswe used to be rudely named, Swans, but the way paved is clearly only for the men of the EKC.

Am I mad? Not really. Our time will come, but in the meantime, their hobbies have become reckless. It’s only a matter of time before it lands in the Fathers’ hands, or they become a worldwide issue.

The guy beside me shuffles around to face me, his body sliding down the seat.

“If you get blood on my custom Recaro seats, oh lost one, I might have to finish what my dear brother started.”

“Oh this?” He gestures down to his side, lifting my jacket from his wound. “Wasn’t Priest.”

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